My cup runneth over with random thoughts and emotions. So much so I don't know where to start.
Yesterday was the Ovarian Cancer Of Florida's annual Holiday Party...a small group of the finest people I know. I am so inspired by the women I walk beside and truly grateful that I am along for the journey. Whenever I am around them, I am reminded of my purpose. I am here and still alive because I have a message. A message to young women all of over the world. A message to minority women. A voice for those who are undeserved and often left behind or left for dead. So much has transpired over the last few years and sometimes I just want to sit and be still. If I make no moves, there's a good chance I can avoid all disappointments.
I was talking to my mom the other day and she told me an interesting story about my dad. My dad just finished treatment for Prostate Cancer and it seems his passion for giving has quadrupled. She ran across quite a few envelopes with donations in them...all ready to be mailed to various organizations and people in need. The surprising part for my mom was the number of envelopes he had ready to go. They like most of us have their list of go-to charity's, but it seems that this years list had exploded. As I listened, I realized that my dad's eagerness to take care of the world is a side effect from being a survivor. I equate it to being so thankful and grateful that you are here, you want to do whatever you can to help others. As survivor of anything you realize up close and personal what the alternative to surviving is and for a lot of people that thought remains a figment of their imagination for a really long time. It's something you wish you could bottle up and distribute to the world in a lovely glass bottle, a feeling you wish people could experience and execute without having to go through a life threatening illness.
Another side effect for me is that not only do i want to help the world, I want to do everything now..like if I don't I will run out of time. I want to fast forward to a successful business, fantastic trips and voyages with Dan, family, & friends. Advocacy work that MAKES a difference in the lives of women all over the world. And last but never least, maybe just maybe a family of our own, be it conventional or unconventional, I know that we can make a difference in the life of a child.
I'm praying that God gives me the strength and courage to tackle all that I want to achieve and even if I stay a bit along the way, I will remember to enjoy the ride!!
Wishing you all many blessings this holiday season!!!
2 comments:
I relate to this post very much and since I am so far surviving, I like to volunteer at a local women's cancer center. I counsel women who are newly diagnosed.
And we have to enjoy the time we have because once we receive a cancer diagnosis, we learn how tenuous life is. We won't around forever. The diagnosis makes living (and the life we have) that much more precious.
great post - I feel the same way...especially about needing to do everything NOW. I'm not sure if having had cancer makes this more difficult because of sometimes being so exhausted and scared, or if it makes it easier because I appreciate things I never noticed BC.
I know it makes me want to help people, and it has made me far more patient with other people's moods and behaviour too.
It IS a shame that we have to go through such an experience in order to reach a point where we are more giving and understanding though.
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